A federal judge is allowing more than 8,000 Catholic employers nationwide to reject government regulations that protect workers seeking abortions and fertility care.

A federal judge is allowing more than 8,000 Catholic employers nationwide to reject government regulations that protect workers seeking abortions and fertility care.

In a sharply worded order, U.S. District Judge Daniel Traynor, of Bismarck, North Dakota, granted a preliminary injunction Monday, ruling that the Catholic Benefits Association and the Diocese of Bismarck were likely to succeed in proving that a final rule adopted by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in April violated their freedom of religion. The regulations are meant to enforce the federal Pregnant Workers Fairness Act.

The judge also barred the EEOC from forcing the diocese and association to comply with harassment regulations meant to safeguard workers, writing “in a manner that would require them to speak or communicate in favor of abortion, fertility treatments, or gender transition when such is contrary to the Catholic faith.” The ruling targeted transgender employees who would be restricted from expressing parts of their gender identities.

  • partial_accumen@lemmy.world
    17·
    2 months ago

    At a minimum employers that choose this should be forced to give the cash currently being paid into the employer group plan to employees for them to purchase their own health insurance that is ACA compliance. Further, they should be required to disclose into a federal database and to every applicant that they are providing less-than-ACA-compliant healthcare so prospective employees can choose to decline them as an employer.

  • Zombiepirate@lemmy.worldEnglish
    28·
    2 months ago

    The Catholic Church thinks they own their employees.

    When I was promised a cyberpunk dystopia, I was hoping it at least wouldn’t be the theocratic kind.

  • PenisDuckCuck9001@lemmynsfw.com
    11·
    2 months ago

    So let me get this straight. Not being allowed to fire people over abortion… Counts as not having freedom of religion?? Freedom of religion means going out of your way to fuck people over? These types of people are cancer. I hope they all lose everything when Harris wins and cracks down on workplace discrimination.

  • irotsoma@lemmy.worldEnglish
    11·
    2 months ago

    Money should not be considered speech and healthcare should not be something only corporations can afford.

  • deegeese@sopuli.xyz
    46·
    2 months ago

    Do you want your boss to be in charge of your health care?

    Terrible ruling to call worker benefits “free speech”.

    • mycelium underground@lemmy.worldEnglish
      19·
      2 months ago

      “U.S. District Judge Daniel Traynor, of Bismarck, North Dakota…”

      Federal judges from States with almost no people in them should not be making decisions for the whole country. I live in a state with a smaller population than most big cities.